The secretive Judicial Conference is tasked with self-governance.

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The Big Story
Wed. Dec 13, 2023

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The Judiciary Has Policed Itself for Decades. It Doesn’t Work. <[link removed]> The secretive Judicial Conference is tasked with self-governance. The group, led by the Supreme Court’s chief justice, has spent decades preserving perks, defending judges and thwarting outside oversight. by Brett Murphy and Kirsten Berg

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Friends of the Court

Senate Committee Authorizes Subpoenas of Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo as Part of Supreme Court Ethics Probe <[link removed]> The subpoenas ask for details on gifts, travel and other perks the two men provided or helped arrange for Supreme Court justices and their relatives, but Senate Democrats will need help from their GOP colleagues if Crow and Leo defy the subpoenas. by Andy Kroll <[link removed]>

The Supreme Court Has Adopted a Conduct Code, but Who Will Enforce It? <[link removed]> Experts say it is unclear if the new rules, which come after reporting by ProPublica and others revealed that justices had repeatedly failed to disclose gifts and travel from wealthy donors, would address the issues raised by the recent revelations. by Joshua Kaplan, Justin Elliott, Brett Murphy and Alex Mierjeski <[link removed]>

Trump’s Court Whisperer Had a State Judicial Strategy. Its Full Extent Only Became Clear Years Later. <[link removed]> Conservative activist Leonard Leo helped elect a judge in Wisconsin. Without him, the GOP feared their agenda would be “toast,” according to an email. by Andrea Bernstein and Andy Kroll <[link removed]>

Clarence Thomas Secretly Participated in Koch Network Donor Events <[link removed]> Thomas has attended at least two Koch donor summits, putting him in the extraordinary position of having helped a political network that has brought multiple cases before the Supreme Court. by Joshua Kaplan, Justin Elliott and Alex Mierjeski <[link removed]>

More From Our Newsroom

Idaho Keeps Some Psychiatric Patients in Prison, Ignoring Decades of Warnings About the Practice <[link removed]> A temporary program for “dangerously mentally ill” patients has continued for five decades, despite calls from critics to provide better care. Soon, Idaho will be the only state still using prisons to house patients who face no criminal charges. by Audrey Dutton <[link removed]>

“Unacceptable”: Senators Call on GAO to Probe FDA’s Oversight of Medical Devices, Citing Series on Philips CPAP Recall <[link removed]> Sens. Dick Durbin and Richard Blumenthal sent a letter noting how the agency missed opportunities to protect the public from faulty medical devices, citing reporting by ProPublica and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. by Jonathan D. Salant, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Debbie Cenziper, ProPublica; and Michael D. Sallah, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette <[link removed]>

Representatives Propose Ban on Insurers Charging Doctors a Fee to Be Paid Electronically <[link removed]> After a ProPublica investigation examined how giant insurers and their intermediaries are imposing fees on doctors and hospitals for electronic payment, a bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced a bill to end the practice. by Cezary Podkul <[link removed]>

Thousands of Patients May Be Undergoing Vascular Procedures Too Soon or Unnecessarily <[link removed]> A new analysis of Medicare claims by ProPublica and CareSet found that atherectomies, a procedure to treat vascular disease, were performed on about 30,000 patients who had questionable need for them. by Annie Waldman, ProPublica, with data analysis by Alma Trotter and Fred Trotter, CareSet <[link removed]>

This Researcher Warned of Unnecessary, Risky Vascular Procedures. She Was Called a “Nazi” and Accused of “Fratricide.” <[link removed]> After Dr. Caitlin Hicks and her team revealed that some doctors appeared to be overusing lucrative vascular procedures, performing them on patients who may not have needed them, they received hostile pushback from across the profession. by Annie Waldman <[link removed]>

How ProPublica and CareSet Investigated the Overuse of Vascular Procedures <[link removed]> Researchers warned that patients may be undergoing vascular procedures too soon or unnecessarily. ProPublica and CareSet examined federal data to better understand how one treatment is being used. by Annie Waldman, ProPublica, with data analysis by Alma Trotter and Fred Trotter, CareSet <[link removed]>

5 Takeaways From ProPublica’s Investigation of Coast Guard Detentions at Sea <[link removed]> Since the summer of 2021, the Coast Guard has detained surging numbers of people, including unaccompanied kids. Key findings from our investigation reveal the hidden world of immigration enforcement at sea, a border where different rules apply. by Seth Freed Wessler <[link removed]>

Inside the Notorious Gun Shop Linked to Hundreds of Chicago Guns <[link removed]> The story of one Indiana store demonstrates how the more than 60,000 gun retailers in America have little financial incentive to say no to questionable buyers and face limited penalties for failing to prevent illegal transactions. by Vernal Coleman <[link removed]>

“Uprooted” Explores How University Expansion and Eminent Domain Led to Black Land Loss <[link removed]> The short documentary “Uprooted” examines a Black community’s decadeslong battle to hold onto their land as city officials wielded eminent domain to establish and expand Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia. by Brandi Kellam, Christopher Tyree and Louis Hansen, Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO, and Lisa Riordan Seville and Mauricio Rodríguez Pons, ProPublica <[link removed]>

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